Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa
Federal Government has launched the National Sports and Education Excellence Programme, N-SEEP, a flagship initiative aimed at integrating quality education with elite sports development to improve national security, create jobs, grow the economy and produce globally competitive athletes.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, unveiled the programme in Abuja alongside the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, describing it as a transformative reform under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The initiative will establish Sports and Education Centres of Excellence across selected tertiary institutions to provide young Nigerians with opportunities to combine academic excellence with high-performance sports.
According to a statement by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Mr. Ikharo Attah, the programme is designed to develop world-class athletes while equipping them with internationally recognised academic qualifications and professional skills, thereby positioning sports as a strategic driver of national development and economic growth.
Alausa said the initiative would bridge the long-standing gap between education and sports by ensuring talented young Nigerians no longer have to choose between academic success and sporting excellence.
Instead, students will be able to pursue both simultaneously within a structured system that prepares them for successful careers during and after active sports.
He noted that beyond producing champions, the programme would build a new generation of coaches, sports scientists, physiotherapists, administrators, entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators capable of sustaining Nigeria’s sports industry.
“The future of sports lies not only in winning competitions, but in developing people. Through this initiative, we are producing athletes who will also become coaches, sports scientists, physiotherapists, administrators, entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators.
“We are investing in human capital that will continue to serve our nation long after competitive careers have ended,” the minister said.
Alausa stressed that expanding structured sports development from basic and secondary schools through tertiary institutions would create opportunities for millions of young Nigerians, promote discipline and teamwork, reduce youth involvement in crime and other social vices, and strengthen national unity.
He observed that sports remains one of the fastest-growing industries globally and said Nigeria must deliberately position itself to harness its vast economic opportunities.
“For too long, many of our gifted athletes have sought opportunities abroad because we lacked a structured system that combines education with elite sports development. N-SEEP changes that narrative. We are building world-class institutions where Nigerian talents can learn, train and succeed at home while earning globally recognised qualifications,” he added.
The minister further said the programme would stimulate innovation, entrepreneurship and private sector investment while creating thousands of jobs in sports medicine, rehabilitation, coaching, facility management, sports technology, event management, research, media and administration.
While reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to the programme, Alausa described N-SEEP as a legacy initiative that would transform education, strengthen sports as a catalyst for economic growth, improve security through youth engagement and empower future generations of Nigerians to realise their full potential.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the initiative as a landmark reform that would redefine the relationship between education and sports by enabling talented students to excel both academically and athletically. She called for flexible academic calendars and assessment systems to accommodate the unique demands of elite athletes.
On his part, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, said the programme represents a defining moment in Nigeria’s drive to build a globally competitive sports industry anchored on education, innovation and strategic partnerships.
He disclosed that the commission was expanding sports infrastructure, strengthening coach education through the National Institute for Sports and engaging international bodies such as FIFA and CAF to secure global accreditation for sports-related academic programmes in Nigerian institutions.
Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, said N-SEEP would reposition sports as a catalyst for national development by creating a sustainable pipeline of coaches, sports scientists, educators, researchers and administrators required for a modern sports economy.
The Federal Government announced that nine tertiary institutions have been selected to host the Sports and Education Centres of Excellence.
They include the University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Benin, University of Jos, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Muhammad Buhari University, Maiduguri, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Federal College of Education, Okene and Babcock University.
The first phase of implementation will begin this year at the University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Federal College of Education, Okene and Babcock University, while the remaining institutions will be brought on stream in subsequent phases.
Each participating institution will establish a Faculty of Sports Science offering internationally benchmarked programmes in coaching, sports medicine, rehabilitation, sports science, sports technology, data analytics, sports business, facility management, event management and sports administration
